UK bioenergy production increased significantly in 2013

The U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change recently released provisional annual energy data for 2013. The report shows renewable generation increased 28 percent. The renewables share of total generation grew by 3.2 percent, reaching a record 15 percent of total energy generation last year.

Total primary energy consumption for energy uses fell by 0.6 percent from 2012. When adjusted for differences in weather experienced from 2012 to 2013, primary consumption was found to drop by 1.8 percent. Final energy consumption was 0.5 percent higher than in 2012, but down 0.3 percent on a temperatures-corrected basis.

According to the DECC, total energy production in 2013 was 114.0 million metric tons of oil equivalent, 6.6 percent lower than 2012, due primarily to reductions in the production of coal, oil and gas. Bioenergy and waste consumption, however, rose by 18.7 percent when considering seasonally adjusted and temperatures corrected annualized rates. This increase reflects higher use in electricity generation.

The report shows that bioenergy, which includes cofiring, generated 18.7 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity last year, a 28 percent increase over 2012. The increase is attributed to more capacity from conversions.

Overall, the renewables hare of electricity generation increased from 11.3 percent in 2012 to 14.8 percent last year.

Additional information on 2013 energy production in the U.K. is available here.